#Knowthe5: Youth Homelessness
November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. Millions of youth experience homelessness nationwide, including here in our community. Now is the time to help them achieve safety and stability, before they get caught in the vicious cycles of poverty, and homelessness and abuse.
Your gift of $50 can provide 1 hour of therapy for a young survivor of violence or homelessness to help them heal and build a brighter future:
1. Both children and young adults are "youth."
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines two groups of youth experiencing homelessness: first, unaccompanied youth below age 18, and second, transitional aged youth (TAY) ages 18 to 24.
2. Millions of youth are impacted, especially those who identify as LGBT.
1 in 10 young adults ages 18-25 experienced a form of homelessness over a 12-month period, Chapin Hall reports. That’s 3.5 million young adults. About half of them involved explicitly reported homelessness while the other half involved couch surfing only. 1 in 30 youth ages 13-17 experienced a form of homelessness over a 12-month period. That’s about 700,000 youth. About three-quarters of them involved explicitly reported homelessness (including running away or being kicked out) and one-quarter involved couch surfing only. Learn more in this infographic.
LGBT youth are disproportionately impacted. Although LGBT youth represent an estimated 7% of the total youth population, this group represents up to 40% all young people experiencing homelessness, the True Colors Fund reports. Once they are out of their homes, LGBT youth are even more vulnerable, and they have needs specific to their identities. Learn more.
3. Family conflict is often the cause of youth homelessness.
Family conflict is the most common cause of all youth homelessness, the True Colors Fund reports: “For LGBT youth in particular, the conflict tends to be over their sexual orientation or gender identity – and the results aren’t pretty: Half of all teens get a negative reaction from their parents when they come out to them. More than 1 in 4 are thrown out of their homes.”
4. Homeless youth are especially vulnerable.
Youth who are homeless are at particularly high risk of being forced into prostitution/being trafficked, and/or having to trade sex for shelter, food and other basic needs.
5. Change is in your hands.
Your gift of $50 can provide 1 hour of therapy for a young survivor of domestic violence or homelessness to help them heal and build a brighter future:
Doorways’ Pathways for Youth
Through our Pathways for Youth Service Model, Doorways provides youth and young families who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness with trauma-informed care and developmentally targeted services to address life-skills development and complex trauma needs. Learn more.
10 Ways Youth Can Get Involved
Young people and their parents, teachers, club leaders and other caregivers often ask how youth and kids can support Doorways’ mission. Young people are a very important part of our community, and there are several ways they can volunteer their time to help their neighbors. Learn more.